Attorney: Arab ‘Tourist’ Tents in E-1 Should Remain until May

The tents put up by Arab activists in E-1 are tourist meeting points, attorney argues. State seeks immediate removal.

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Maayana Miskin, 16/01/13 14:13

Tents in E-1

Israel news photo: Flash 90

The Supreme Court heard arguments Wednesday in the case of several tents put up by Palestinian Authority resident activists in the E-1 neighborhood of Maaleh Adumim. The tents were put up shortly after the PA objected to Israeli plans to build in the area.

However, an attorney for the Arab activists argued Wednesday that the tents were not put up in an attempt to create “facts on the ground,” but rather, are a meeting point for tourists.

“The tourist installation is just a meeting point, from which they walk to the Bedouin tents,” said attorney Taufik Joubrain. “We have no intention of doing intense tourist work [in E-1].”

The tents will be down by May, Joubrain said.

The state is seeking the immediate removal of the tents. State attorneys said senior PA officials were behind the stationing of the tents near the planned building site – and disputed Joubrain’s claim that the tents were part of a tourist initiative.

Justices said they would issue a verdict in the case later in the day.